Director of Analysis and Performance

As the Director of Analysis and Performance, you will head the newly expanded Analysis and Performance Directorate, comprising over 200 dedicated professionals within the recently established Department of State. This department serves as Defence's strategic integrator, aligning political objectives with strategy, policy, and resources. You will report to Director General Transformation, who leads a portfolio of Directorates focused on setting and communicating the strategy for Defence as an enterprise.

The Director of Analysis and Performance is a critical role at the heart of Defence’s decision making. Your leadership will foster an inclusive, innovative, and high-performing team culture, ensuring the delivery of timely, high-quality analysis and insights that directly influence senior-level decision-making. By improving understanding of the challenges we face and driving evidence-based decisions, you and your team will contribute to better strategic outcomes for Defence and the UK.

In addition to leading your Directorate, you will act as Head of the Analysis Function for approximately 600 analysts across Defence. This will require exceptional interpersonal and influencing skills to build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, including Ministers, military leaders, and civilian staff. You will combine strategic vision and sound judgement to identify where analysis can have the greatest impact, while effectively communicating complex information and technical concepts to diverse audiences.

The current responsibilities of the role include:

• Lead a team of over 200, including professional analysts, digital professionals and the performance team; as well as heading up the Analysis Function across Defence (c.600 members).
• Lead four multidisciplinary teams covering Economics and Financial Analysis;
  Health, Digital, and Analysis and Insights;
  Central Analytical Team and Personnel Statistics and Analysis; and Strategic Performance and Insights.
• Build influential and strong working relationships across the newly reformed Defence structure – transforming complex data into strategic insight to advise Ministers and key senior stakeholders across Department of State;
  Military Strategic Headquarters;
  National Armaments Director Group; and Defence Nuclear Enterprise.
• Ensure the Analysis and Performance Directorate provides high-quality analysis, assessment and insights to decision-makers throughout the department, across government and externally, ensuring our evidence and analysis is at the heart of the Defence decision-making process.
• Drive the delivery of quality assured, timely and fit for purpose analysis to ensure that decisions made will be driven by sound evidence, speaking truth to power and challenging decisions where required.
• Be responsible for the quality sign-off for numerous Departmental official statistics and statistical publications, along with regular provision of Freedom of Information/Parliamentary Questions data. Applying judgement to the proper use of data and analysis to ensure it is not manipulated or misused, acting as the final decision maker on matters of statistical accuracy.
• Bring understanding, clarity and coherence to the Analysis and Performance Function across Defence, ultimately increasing its impact on decisions across Defence.

• Proven ability to navigate complex and contested environments to achieve better strategic outcomes, successfully influencing the decisions of senior leaders—such as Board members or Ministers—by turning complex data into strategic insight.
• Proven ability to apply advanced analytical expertise to provide credible leadership to analytical teams and drive the delivery of high-quality analysis, assessment and insights to decision-makers.
• Inspiring leadership of multi-disciplinary teams, harnessing the talents of individuals and creating an inclusive, innovative and high performing environment.
• Excellent communication skills demonstrating the ability to translate complex data and technical detail into clear and meaningful information to senior audiences.
• Successful demonstrable experience of building trustful relationships, developing productive networks across organisational and professional boundaries and collaborating with senior stakeholders.
• Strong strategic, analytical and insight skills, applying excellent judgement and the ability to use a range of evidence to inform and support decision-making in a complex policy context.
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 1st February 2026

Birmingham, Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester Newcastle-upon-Tyne or Sheffield

Department for Science, Innovation & Technology